Alabama

Tom Lehman sets up his shot at the 18th hole as he finished 14 under to win the 2012 Regions Tradition Champions Tour. He will bid for his third straight title at Shoal Creek this week. (Linda Stelter/The Birmingham News)

Two, six World Golf Hall of Fame members are in the field -- Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Larry Nelson and newbie Fred Couples.

Three, rookies Rocco Mediate, Steve Elkington, Esteban Toledo and Duffy Waldorf are coming. All are ranked in the top 30 on the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

"This isn't just the strongest field we've had in the Regions Tradition, and we're in our third year, but this is the strongest field that's ever come to a Champions Tour event in Birmingham," Matthew Dent, the general chairman of the Regions Tradition, said Saturday. "To say we're excited would be an understatement."

Couples, who has played just four times on the Champions Tour this year, arrives this week after playing in his third PGA Tour tournament this season, the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio.

He still holds his own on the big circuit. Case in point: In Thursday's opening round of the Memorial, Couples' playing partner was his best friend Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1 player. Woods settled for a 1-under par 71 and the 53-year-old Couples, who will captain the U.S. Presidents Cup team against the Internationals in October, carded a five-birdie 70.

On Friday, Regions officials announced an 80-player field of professionals who will compete for $2.2 million in prize money in the tour's second major championship, which begins Thursday at Shoal Creek. A pro-am will get things started on Wednesday.

The field will end up with 81 players. The 81st player in the field will likely come from today's Principal Charity Classic.

The format will be a 72-hole stroke-play event at the 7,231-¬yard, par-72 course.

Tom Lehman returns to defend his title, and has a chance for a three-peat at Shoal Creek. Lehman won the Tradition in 2011 and 2012, along with winning the Schwab Cup both years.

"There are a lot of interesting things going with this year's field," said Dent. "You have (Lehman) going for three straight wins, such a rarity, but especially so for someone to win three straight majors, not just three straight tournaments. You have one of the rookies, Rocco Mediate, who went toe-to-toe with Tiger not so long ago in a U.S. Open (2008). I really believe he's going to become a fan favorite. And you have 29 of the top 30 finishers on last year's money list.

"Strongest field? Without a doubt."

Should Lehman win, he would be just the second player to win a major championship on the Champions Tour three years in succession, joining Hale Irwin. Three sponsor exemptions have been extended to Chip Beck, Barry Lane and Jerry Pate, totaling 80 players at Shoal Creek. The Regions Tradition entry list also includes eight players who competed at Southeastern Conference schools -- Birmingham's Steve Lowery (Alabama), Andy Bean (Florida), Mark Calcavecchia (Florida), Jerry Pate (Alabama), Russ Cochran (Kentucky), John Huston (Auburn), Jim Gallagher Jr. (Tennessee) and Beck (Georgia).